He'ehölua (mountain surfing)
and He'enalu (surfing) are traditional ritualized forms
of athleticism that are important ritual expressions of the Hawaiian
people. He'ehölua (over 2,000 years old) is similar
to surfing a wave except it is done on a rock foundation on a sled
that is usually 12 feet long, 6 inches wide, and 4 inches in depth,
and weighing approximately 30 - 60 pounds; capable of reach speeds
of 50 mph+, while surfboards of the old time could be 60 - 150
pounds or more and reach lengths of 20 feet. For these ancient
sports of the Hawaiian weight is an important factor for board
and sled to function properly - a light weight sled means slow
speed, and a light surfboard means you can not get down a wave
fast enough or control direction and length of ride. In an attempt
to preserve what little is known about ancient Hawaiian surfboard
making, boards will be made in the authentic style of old Hawaii
. Ancient building methods consistent with historical practices,
including important rituals and offerings that was an integral
part of board building. The traditional means and time of constructing
a surfboard or hölua sled, that once took years, can now be
done in a total time of approximately 48 hours.

Primarily traditional surfboards and
sleds were made from various native woods:

The knowledge of the ritualistic expressions
of surfing, sledding, and the art of making surfboards and sleds
in a traditional manner, from a native perspective - the practice
and cultural interpretation of these sports is a unique to these
islands and the native people.

Over time we have loss sight of the
fact that traditional Hawaiian sports such as he'enalu , he'ehölua , ' ulumaika (stone
rolling), lele pali (cliff jumping), and the many other
sports of the Hawaiian people were a significant component to our
culture that is not just decades old or just several hundreds of
years old, but in actuality is thousands of years old! Perpetuated
by cultural myths much of the knowledge of such sports as surfing
has been confined to a specific time period and select (mostly
foreign) individuals with most of the information focusing on the
post-contact era.

Today we recognize that Hawaiian sports are
traditional ritualized forms of athleticism significant to the
culture and the ritual expressions that have been overlooked or
vilified. From a native perspective, the cultural interpretation
of our Hawaiian sports is a source of identity for us as the native
people of these islands.

As the Native people of these islands we
have begun a process of re-institutionalizing the traditional performances
of these sports, and our ancient ways of constructing the physical
objects - seeing the spirit that lives in each piece of wood. This
process means that every papahe'enalu (surfboard) or papahölua (sled)
are unique physically and spiritually - never identical.

Surfing
is one of the oldest continuously practiced sports on the planet.
The art of wave riding is a mixture of sheer athleticism, art and
culture. Much of what we know about surfing was recorded when Europeans
first landed in Polynesia in the late 1700's.

It is thought that early surfing began with
Polynesians riding waves in their canoes, on their way in to shore
from a day of fishing. Ingeniously, they discovered that, given
a little more paddling effort, they were able to catch waves over
coral reefs and hasten their arrival on the beach. As a culture
that cherished the sea, these Polynesians found a way to make their
chores into a game of fun. These first surfers were true waterman
in their use of strength and skill to maneuver these heavy boats,
which eventually evolved into slabs of wood.

The first Polynesian surfers who began standing
upon wooden boards in the surf of the Pacific Ocean did so between
1500 B.C. and 400 A.D. And today, we wish to take you on a journey
back to those days of old....

Tom Stone (Pohaku) is an avid waterman, previous
surfing and windsurfing champion and lifeguard, and is a devoted
educator of our youth. Tom is currently a professor at the University
of Hawaii at Manoa's Center for Hawaiian Studies. He is working
on his third Master's Degree in Polynesian Studies, and will begin
pursuit of a Doctorate Degree in the same field of study later
this fall.

Pohaku is credited with reviving the He'e Holua
- a narrow wooden sled made from native woods used for mountain
sliding - and unveiling a more accurate portrayal of its cultural
significance in early Hawaii . While replicating the first modern
day holua, Tom has diligently researched ancient chants, previ
ously written materials and went to areas where rock slides were
built - some nearly a mile long to prove that he'e holua was not
just a sport as originally thought, but had greater ritualistic
and cultural purposes. Tom also is credited for being the first
person to ride a holua in over 100 years, something he has also
shared with various school children who wanted to learn about the
past. Pohaku was featured in numerous publications and news broadcasts,
including the cover and in a feature article of Hawaiian
Airline's Hana Hou Magazine, "Sacred Sledding, Rediscovering the
Lost Athletic Ritual of He'e Holua." (October/November 2001), Longboard
Magazine, Surfer Magazine, Outside Magazine, Windsurfer Magazine,
etc.

What little known history of Hawaiian surfing,
and the cultural and ritualistic practices associated with it,
is being lost everyday as oral traditions and personal experiences
are failing to be captured for the future generations. As surfing
has become an internationally known sport surrounded by a fabricated
subculture, the world is seeking out the true culture and history
of these ancient sports of the Hawaiian which we - as Natives to
the islands - now provide.